Cleaner Streams Program

We need your help to protect our lakes and streams!

The City of Lincoln Watershed Management Division and Keep Lincoln-Lancaster County Beautiful (KLLCB) are working to help keep our streams, lakes, and creeks beautiful. You can be a part of the effort too by volunteering to conduct a Stream Clean-up, Adopt-a-Stream, or be part of the Stormwater Street Team.

Why Get Involved?

Everyone in the community can take an active role in assuring the well being of the Lincoln community and its water resources. Water pollution affects every one of us. By getting involved as a volunteer, community members can help reduce surface water pollution, improve the riparian and aquatic habitats, improve stream aesthetics, provide for a more sustainable stream, and learn more about our local ecosystems.

Who Can Participate?

This volunteer program is designed for volunteer groups, scouting groups, youth organizations, neighborhood associations, churches, and anyone who is concerned about the condition of the city's waterways and willing to commit time and energy for storm drain marking or organizing a stream clean-up. Volunteers must be at least 19 years of age or volunteering with a supervising adult.

Volunteers are needed to help pick up litter during stream cleanup events throughout the year. Individuals and groups are welcome to sign-up for these events.

Time commitment:

Stream cleanup events typically last 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the area and how many volunteers are participating.

Supplies:

The Stream Cleanup Coordinator can provide volunteers with trash bags, reflective vests, gloves, hand sanitizer, and grabbers. Water quality testing kits are also available for those interested in water quality monitoring. Each kit includes tests for temperature, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

When:

Several stream cleanup events are hosted by the Cleaner Streams Program every year including:

Related:

Adopting a stream helps ensure the long-term health and beauty of an adopted stream section. Adopt-A-Stream is open to groups and organizations that wish to maintain a section of their local stream on a regular basis. When a group or organization adopts a stream, an adoption sign is posted in recognition of their commitment.

Time commitment:

The minimum adoption period is one year. Adopters are required to organize at least two stream cleanup events each year. Stream cleanup events typically last 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the area and how many volunteers are participating.

Supplies:

The Stream Cleanup Coordinator can provide volunteers with trash bags, reflective vests, gloves, hand sanitizer, and grabbers. Water quality testing kits are also available for those interested in water quality monitoring. Each kit includes tests for temperature, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

When:

Adopters may perform stream cleanup activities at any time, but the Stream Cleanup Coordinator must be notified at least 2 weeks prior to a stream cleanup event.

What streams can be adopted?

Virtually any stream within the city limits can be adopted. If the stream does not run through a city park or public property, remember to get landowner permission before accessing the stream. See the map below for streams in greatest need of adoption, as well as current stream adoptions.

Would you ever pour chemicals directly into a stream or drinking supply? It is hard to believe, but people actually dump chemicals down the storm drain inlets that collect the runoff and flow directly into our local creeks, streams, and lakes.

To best protect our watersheds, the public needs to become more aware of the connection between our storm drains and watersheds. Storm drain markers remind people that only rain should go into the drain.

The Stormwater Street Team program is a proactive and positive way for volunteers to serve their community and improve the quality of the environment. Families, clubs, organizations or individuals are welcome to volunteer.